Banned Books Week: In the Library Media Center, the sign “This week, you cannot read these books!” presented National Banned Book Week to the student body. Showcased on the entrance display are comics and graphic novels that have been banned by schools, libraries, and organizations. The accompanying board explains why the books have been banned and offers students badges to wear that say “I Read Banned Books.”
Books to Movies: Get your free movie tickets and bag of popcorn! Students who sign out any book that was then made into a movie will get a treat with their book. To further engage students in reading, this month’s movie theme gives students the opportunity to write a review comparing the book to the movie. The review can be shared with their classmates by posting it on the online book catalog, publishing it in the school newspaper, The Clarion, or creating a QR code of the review that will be affixed to the book and easily scanned for the review.
Students are also encouraged to research the answer to this month’s book trivia question: “What famous book award did Lois Lowry win for her book-turned-movie, The Giver?” The winner of the drawing on Oct. 1 will receive 2 tickets to the Hawthorne Movie Theater.
Freshman Orientation: As part of the Library Media Center Orientation program, all freshmen students engaged in a scavenger hunt-like activity,encouraging them to explore the Reference Room, the non-fiction stacks, the computer lab and the Reading Lounge Café (where they found the Student Art Gallery, fiction books, magazines, newspapers, TV, and vending machines).
On the second day of orientation, the students met in the library computer lab where they learned how to access the high school library’s online catalog and eBooks and the public library databases.
Public Library Cards: Working with the Louis Bay II Library staff, all students at HHS were given the opportunity to sign up for a new public library card or to renew or replace old cards. These library cards give our students access to the databases of the BCCLS system. These include EBSCO, INFOTRAC and PROQUEST.
Also, Michelle Petrasek, the YA librarian at the public library, joined me in the HHS library during Back to School night to meet with parents and share the activities planned for teenagers.